Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1923)

December 1, 1923 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 473 Competing Albany Programs Little Hurt by Big Special The success which marked a week’s run of “The Covered Wagon” at the Capitol Theatre, Albany, N. Y., at admission prices ranging from SO cents to $1.50, served to answer the query which has been going the rounds of exhibitors and film exchanges in that territory ever since the first announcement was made of the admission prices which would be charged. The picture, which came as the first to be shown at the new Shubert house here, which has been given over to the legitimate up to the present time, opened Monday night with every seat filled with the exception of a few of the less desirable in the front rows. The picture drew extremely well throughout the entire week, with the matinees also making a creditable showing. That $1.50 pictures will do business in a city of 115,000, providing that they are of the right sort, was demonstrated by the box office receipts. Other theatres in the city, with prices ranging from 28 to 50 cents, reported that they had felt no inroads because of the higher priced feature at the other house. Paper mills in northern New York, and especially in the vicinity of Fort Edward and Corinth, have been forced to close down through low water conditions. As a result, Lew Fisher, of Fort Edward, owner of theatres in that village as well as Tieonderoga and Port Henry, is suffering from lessened patronage. The low water has thrown hundreds of the employes in the paper mills out of work for the time being. An 1843 dollar, bright and shiny, and which had probably served someone as a pocket piece, was taken in at the Mark Strand in Albany the other night, and is now the property of Herman Vineburg, house manager. J. M. Moran, who runs a house in Coxsackie, is branching out and has just acquired a theatre in the neighboring village of New Baltimore. Myer Schine, head of the well known circuit bearing his name, with headquarters in Gloversville, has booked “The Chronicles of America” for his entire circuit. “Little Old New York” stood up extremely well the past week, its second at the Leland, in Albany. The picture broke all house records during the first six days and drew above the normal amount of business during the second week. The 1!)20 census enumeration credits Hoosiek Falls with a population of 4,SSM>. This population is big enough, according to Charles McCarthy, veteran showman of that village, to warrant his latest hookings, including “Enemies of Women” and “Little Old New York.” Mr. McCarthy is a firm advocate of showing big pictures whenever obtainable, and claims that the returns at his box office back up his contention. The drawing power of such a picture as “The Call of the Wild” when combined with 'vaudeville, was aptly shown at Proctor’s Grand, in Albany last week, when fully 95 per cent, of the audience remained in their seats at the close of the vaudeville program. Having demonstrated their strength, better pictures are being booked in connection with vaudeville programs in this part of the state. Sol Manheimer, manager of the Avon Theatre in Watertown, played the part of host last week to Prank O’Brien and Lou Golder, of New York City, on a duck hunting expedition along the St. Lawrence river. L. J. Cartjey, manager of the Strand Theatre in Carthage, did a land office business the past week with a Fashion Show in which New York models were featured. Colby Shaw, former director of the Mark Strand orchestra in Albany, has gone to the west coast, according to postals which have reached the Capital City during the last few days. The Hippodrome Theatre in Carthage, N. Y., which has been dark for the past few months, reopened the past week. The house has a capacity of 700 persons and will be open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of each week. Louis Buettner, who owns several houses in this part of the state and who hails from Cohoes, shot a deer the past week. Moreover, it was the first animal bagged by anyone in Mr. Buettner’s party. “Pioneer Trails” broke the house record at the Albany Theatre in Schenectady last week. Manager Shirley did a great deal in the way of exploitation, including a parade of real Indians. The many exhibitor friends in northern New York who know Vic Bendell, now with Hodkinson, will be sorry to learn of Mrs. Bendell’s serious illness, following an operation of last Monday. Morris Silverman, owner of two houses in Schenectady, filled in on the board of arbitration of the Albany Film Board of Trade, last Monday, in the absence of the regular appointee. “Lightning” Bissell will be back among the exhibitors of northern New York, looking after Goldwyn’s interests. While calling on the exhibitors in Malone some weeks ago, Mr. Bissell was stricken with appendicitis and almost immediately operated upon. Later on, pneumonia set in. According to all reports, James Papayanakos is not averse to acquiring a theatre in northern New York. His brother, Harry, has one in Gouveneur, and another brother, Alex, owns one ill Canton. The three brothers were the veterans in the pieture theatre business in northern New York and cleaned up big before retiring from Watertown, only to later on again engage in the business. “The Green Goddess” did a most satisfactory business the past week at the Lincoln in Troy. Waiting lines were before the theatre each night. William Shirley, manager of the Farash Theatre Corporation of Schenectady, did a good stroke of business on Armistice Day when he dug up a reel which he himself had taken five years ago and which featured the Schenectady boys returning home. In connection with Union College Night at the State Theatre in Schenectady, N. Y., season passes to the State, the Albany and the Strand theatres were auctioned off, the proceeds going to the Union College endowment fund. The same fund also realized handsomely from hundreds of tickets to the State Theatre, which had been sold by the students themselves. Following another two weeks of splits, the Mark Strand in Albany will play straight weeks during a good part of the winter, showing such pictures in the near future as “Ashes of Vengeance,” “Circus Days,” Ponjola” and “A Woman of Paris.” The management plans to increase the amount of its display advertising. Crowds at the Leland Theatre in Albany became so great last Thursday night in connection with the second week of “Little Old New York” that Manager Oscar Perrin ordered no more tickets sold at 8:30 o’clock. The companion theatre, also handled by Mr. Perrin, did a land office business last week with “The French Doll.” R. V. Erk, owner of two houses in Ilion and the Bareli in Schenectady, buys pictures like a flash, but nine times out of ten his judgment from a box office standpoint can’t be beat. On Wednesday Mr. Erk bought a total of 61 pictures. If you happen to drop in at the State Theatre in Schenectady, N. Y., remember to take a look at a peculiar lamp which adorns the lobby. It is imported and is said to have cost the purchaser about ?1,500. Mr. Shirley had it at his Strand Theatre for some time before bringing it to the larger house. Buffalo Dipson & Osborn announce the opening of their new Family Theatre in Batavia, N. Y., on Thanksgiving Day. Dusty Rhodes has been engaged to preside at the console of the $16,000 pipe organ. The house has been practically rebuilt with beautiful interior decorations, electric fixtures and every modern equipment. Luxurious furniture has been placed in the rest rooms and beautiful carpets and hangings enhance the attractive appearance of the interior. Gold and glass frames adorn the lobby. The mural work has been done by Chicago artists. James Cardina has issued invitations for the opening of his new Varsity Theatre on Bailey avenue, Buffalo, on the evening of November 28. “Pioneer Trails” will be the feature. Mr. Cardina also operates the Kensington Theatre, Buffalo, and the Glen Theatre, Williamsville. The new Varsity will be a fireproof, modernly equipped house and will serve one of the most rapidly growing sections of the Queen City of the Lakes. Exhibitors and exchange men will be glad to know that Charlie Babcock of the Babcock Theatre, Wellsville, N. Y., is recovering from an operation in the Buffalo General Hospital. Ten thousand cards are being mailed each week to exhibitors front the Buffalo exchanges as part of the campaign to put over the repeal of the admission tax. These cards* are being sent out by the M. P. T. O. of N. Y., Inc., and the first one sets forth that “Co-operation is the First Important Step to Accomplish the Repeal of the Admission Tax.” A new card will be sent out each week, according to J. H. Michael, chairman of the executive committee of the state organization, who urges other states to follow a similar policy. Mrs. Jessie Carlson, owner of the Carlson block in Westfield, N. Y., has awarded to Bailey & Company of Brocton a contract for the rebuilding of the Grand Theatre, recently destroyed by fire. When the new house is completed on April 1, 1924, it will be leased and operated by the Zicofe Corporation of Buffalo, composed of Fred M. Zimmerman, M. Cohen and George Ferguson. A1 Sherry is managing the New Academy Theatre on Main street at Seneca, which has been reopened with tabloid musical comedies and pictures. In order to stop spooning in picture houses, exhibitors of London, Ont., have instructed their operators to throw the spotlight on offending couples. Simon Wertheimer has made application to the city council for permission to build a picture theatre in the rear of his new business block on Hertel avenue, between Saranac and North Park, just one block from Shea’s North Park Theatre. Rochester, N. Y. Manager J. H. Finn is finding his Sunday programs at the Temple meeting with popular favor. “The Fog,” the film feature last Sunday, attracted a capacity audience. Manager William Fait, Jr., has installed a new bronze ticket office at the end of the Eastman lobby. All concert tickets are sold at this office as well as loge and mezzanine seats for the picture presentations. Attractions on Rochester screens the past week included: Eastman, “The Bad Man”,; Regent, “The Marriage Maker”; Piccadilly, “Mothers-in-Law”; Victoria, “Temptation.”